The place to go for something to say
Over the crashing waves you stand,
Solid, determined, confident.
The path to safety lies behind you,
Each side leads to danger, and risk.
Do you go backwards, avoiding danger?
You yearn to climb the slippery, jagged sides,
Exploring the new-found cliff with passion and joy.
Selfless, caring, kind, honorable,
A hero walks with purpose.
Striving to empower and protect,
And caring for those who can’t.
When a hero’s duty is done,
And the weak are strong,
Then the job is done.
Slowly, fading, leaving,
A hero must not remain,
once others can stand.
With changing perception you dominate,
The tenderest moments pass as swiftly as a Hawk’s dive.
Painful longing, passes as slow as the creeping glaciers.
Excitement, happiness, and joy, vanish in an instant,
While pain, longing and suffering last a lifetime.
Concentration and reflection may resist your fickleness,
But onward you must flow, forever pulling us along.
Like a star, shining in the darkness.
Nothing can escape your pull.
Full of hot matter,
Your light nurtures and provides life.
The heat of your soul warms life completely,
or destroys everything utterly.
Sitting alone, in a swamp
Full of grief and pain,
How can I survive?
The forest calls for my lost soul,
The sun holds my heart.
The need for closeness overwhelms,
My soul is split in two.
I fight to find what I have lost,
To reunite what has been torn.
Pain is all that exists,
Deep, dark, and overwhelming.
My heart has given up on itself,
exiled to its own prison.
Someday I will heal,
Today there is only pain.
It was a warm day in the heavily wooded forest. The light of the sun came across with a greenish tint, as it pushed its way through the leaves of the majestic evergreens populating the woods. The sound of far off waterfalls could be heard through the orchestra of birds and animals going about their business. The gentle hillsides were inundated with life, in all varieties. Elk, deer, bears, birds, this was their realm. Still unspoiled by the encroachment of humanity, this was nature at its finest. Lush, green, and powerful, you could feel the life coursing through the air.
In a clearing, open to the sunlight and adjacent to a flowing stream sat a woman. This was her sanctuary, her place of peace and joy. Her long flowing blonde hair seemed like one with the stream. Today was no day for joy, however. She was suffering through immense pain at the loss of her unborn child. Her tears fed the stream with her grief, a grief that no person should ever have to confront. How could she hope to overcome this pain? This was no ordinary grief, the challenge of carrying on was a heavier burden that Atlas could even bear to carry.
April asked for a sign, a reason to carry on and confront her grief. “Why me, why again” cried April. The sound of a family of ducks filled her ears. She looked toward the stream, and saw six ducklings floating behind their mother, diving now and then for food. It was a simple site, to see a small family of ducks floating down the lazy stream. Careless and oblivious to the dangers around them. April’s heart was touched by the warmth of the interaction. Her grief was as heavy as ever, but this one small scene warmed her, if just for a split second.
Life was hard, her grief was maddening. It would be easy for April to just give up on it all, and end it. She realized that was the problem, it would be too easy for her to give up. April knew then, that while it felt impossible to carry on, she would. She had gone through this before, faced her worse fears, and realized that she could do so again. Life was precious, and she would prove that she had the strength to live it, even in her darkest moment.
Day by day, we all waste our life away.
How easy would it be to ignore that empty feeling,
To be caught up in the redundant, the mundane, the fruitless.
My heart was empty, but I had all I should,
Friends, family, and career.
Ever nagging was that hole, ever in my heart.
Oh a whim, I followed my heart to the forest,
I, instead, had found my soul.
I stand at the edge of a forest, large, wide, and beautiful.
I feel the longing, to journey through this wild, untamed wilderness.
Many have been entranced at the beauty of the wild expanse,
But none have truly appreciated it for all of its true beauty and danger.
I will make the trek, regardless of the danger.
The journey itself will be worth the risk,
The reward will be the knowledge that I had the courage to continue,
The hope that I have helped heal any damage others have caused,
And the joy of seeing the full expanse.
http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/63744309/curly-kale-and-sirloin-steak-salad/detail.aspx
Kale and Steak salad. Yum 🙂
Some fun facts at Space Center Houston!
I’m not happy with the Zimmerman outcome. I’ll come out and say that I just don’t understand why some asshat can get away with murdering someone else because he “suspected” that they were up to no good. I’ll leave race out of my explanation.
The facts that I care about. Zimmerman was following a “suspicious” person. Zimmerman called 911 and the operator advised him not to follow, he chose to ignore that advise. That’s my first problem. I’ve been in situations before where suspicious people were knocking on all of my neighbors door. They looked like they were selling something, but usually door to door salespeople avoid doing so at night. It looks creepy. I carry a CHL, and one of these people tried to follow me to my garage, I told them to back off. I was loud, and firm, and they backed off. I then called 911, from inside my house, and warned my neighbors. These people were robbing houses in the area, and they got picked up. Total wait time, 5 minutes. Why did I not shoot them? Mainly because I don’t want to kill anyone, but mostly because I didn’t know if they were armed as well, and it was dark, anything could happen that would result in a tragic accident. It was common sense, and if I want to play hero, I’ll go volunteer at the food bank.
Second issue, people saying that “Travon was a thug and deserved it”. He was a kid. He may have skipped class, gotten expelled for non-violent reasons, he may have smoked pot. I don’t care. Hell, he could have sacrificed children to Satan, that’s not the point. The point is he was walking home that night, with skittles. Zimmerman is just a regular, annoying,person. He didn’t have a report on Travon’s activities. He’s not a detective, he’s an asshole that just needed to call 911 and back the fuck off. It wasn’t his job to follow anyone, and it sure as hell wasn’t his job to shoot anyone. That’s why we pay for police, and we make sure they are trained.
Seriously, bite me if you think anyone deserves to die. The same people saying that Travon deserved to be dead are the same assholes pushing abortion restrictions on women. You hypocrites can just go to hell.
Ever feel so tired that you can’t sleep? That seems to be happening to me more and more lately. As I sit here, awaiting sleep, I am left with a few random thoughts. Lucky you:
1. Seriously I don’t even eat hot dogs anymore, but the lack of consistency between hot dog packages and hot dog bun packages really annoys the living shit out of me. They don’t even try to “trick us” into thinking this was some cosmic accident. It’s basically a big ‘ole “Screw You” from corporate america. Yeah, I’m on to you, which leads me to:
2. Wtf is up with me always losing socks in the dryer? Yes, I’m sure it’s simply me misplacing things. Nope, as I’ve said before (I think), it’s a conspiracy by evil Corporate America. Where do you think all of that lint comes from huh? It’s not random fibers, it’s the desiccated remains of your socks people! They are being sacrificed to some really lame demon that demands sock tribute! Joss Whedon, there is an idea for a show. It’s all yours, just get me a date with Felicia Day, or someone equally awesome. You’re welcome.
3. Why is Chick-Fil-A so yummy, but full of such hate? Do they lace it with some kind of psychotropic mushrooms? Why do I constantly break my oath to boycott the fuckers? Can we put those mushrooms on something healthy for me. I’d kill to be this obsessed over a salad. (kidding I’m a pacifist. No really.)
Yup, still awake.
I need to buy a 5 ft metal chicken to annoy my new neighbors with…
I love the bloggess. I want to sit in her living room and collate paper all day.
I hate JJ Abrahms for what he’s done to Star Trek. Really, what’s the point of rebooting if you are going to make a half-assed copy of the Wrath of Khan. Asshat… give it to Seth MacFarlane!
Yeah, I know this is a line from a shitty movie, but let me explain.
This is a link to the most restrictive abortion law in the country:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=831&Bill=SB5
https://twitter.com/AntDeRosa/status/349767750576644096/photo/1
It passed AFTER the deadline. That doesn’t matter, because Texas is no longer a democracy, the GOP decided to play by fascist rules today.
http://www.wendydavisforsenate.com/
That is Wendy Davis, donate to her, she started a 13 hour filibuster, but was cut off by the cheating GOP when she discussed non-germane topics. Apparently the GOP feel that in a Filibuster of a restrictive abortion law, sonograms and Roe Vs. Wade are “not germane”. See, if you can’t play fair, just cheat.
This set the stage for some other heroes like John Whitmire and Kirk Watson to try and stop a vote. At the end, the GOP rammed their agenda through, and about ten minutes from the deadline, the people in the gallery started screaming. They cheered, they yelled, and they chanted. THE PEOPLE DECIDED TO ACT! They bought the necessary ten minutes, and the GOP CHEATED!
So ends democracy in Texas, yes, there were cheers, but those were the cheers of men and women, fighting to stop an unjust group of people from STEALING their rights. I’m disgusted at the GOP and their fascism I can’t be prouder of the Texans fighting for their rights.
You won this battle GOP, but remember, this is TEXAS. Sure, some battles are lost, but we don’t give up on just causes. The war has just begun! Instead of destroying morale, you just increased our resolve. Thanks GOP, you just gave us something else to “REMEMBER”.
Read that article, and then the comments. You should feel outrage. Outrage for this poor little girl who was just minding her own business, and got a verbal thrashing at the hands of some half rate – Barney Fife wannabe TSA agent. No, her attire is none of your business, if you can’t do your job and keep your misguided moral opinion to yourself, perhaps you should consider a career in politics.
My outrage goes further, read the comments yet? I saw several instances of comparing this young child to “a prostitute” and “slut”. Compounded with that were insults against Muslims. Have you heard of the Taliban? They are responsible for punishing women for not being “decent” or “moral”. Forcing them to cover up, and be submissive to men. Sound familiar? If you commented in a disparaging way towards that girl you could join them.
I’m a bit sick and tired of asshats using centuries old “moral” judgments on people and then being offended when they are called out for being intolerant, racist, sexist, etc. Don’t hide behind religion either, it’s not your religion that is making you a piece of human excrement, it’s your misguided logic.
Basically, STFU, and worry about why you suck at life. If you spent less time being morally outraged at people for what they wear, or who they love, etc then maybe you would have more time to spend on personal growth. You might even crack a book open and learn how to think critically someday.
The tornado in Oklahoma that took the lives of at least 24 people was devastating. My initial reaction was the usual numb distance I feel whenever I hear of something horrible. This was followed by my reading of various articles describing the heroism of the Teachers and first responders that went to work saving lives.
The story of a teacher that lay on top of her students to keep them safe was heartwarming, you can read about it here :http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20702199,00.html
I can’t believe dealing with the kind of devastation that occurred in Oklahoma. I felt my faith in humanity renewed after hearing the accounts of heroes. Then I came across this photo:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=435525179877046&set=o.429456927083530&type=1&theater
So the teacher said a prayer, good for her. No, that can’t be left alone though, can it? Read the comments, about how if we had more prayer in school then things like this wouldn’t happen or comments like this:
Sherry Lynn Fahner It is a shame that we as americans have to change the way we have been doing things, and this is my opinion, because of all these foriegners and their beliefs if you don’t like the way we do things here in america go back to your own damn country prayer belongs in schools, maybe if it our children were learning prayers and about religion in school they wouldn’t be learning it later in life in jails and prisons~~~I commend this teacher~~well done!!
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/04/tough-ruck-soliders-arredondo-boston-marathon
I’ve never been the type of person to be overly patriotic. I’m too cynical and sarcastic to wave too many flags, or tear up at displays of blind patriotism. Don’t get me wrong, I love my country, my state, my city. I am sometimes even cynical about he overall actions of humanity. These personal traits tend to cover up my deep seeded belief in the goodness of humanity. It is there, I just have a hard time expressing it, but the events of the last few days have compelled me to express my beliefs a little more honestly.
I have been absolutely incapable of a decent night of sleep. Not because of fear, anger, or concern. I just keep thinking about the people who rushed in to help the victims of the bombing in Boston. The National Guardsmen who jumped into helping the victims, doing their duty automatically, with no regard to themselves. Sure, they are trained, but this was not a war zone, they are not on duty (ok, maybe they always are). To me, that is a sense of immense pride. To see how the national guard, actually went to work guarding the innocents in Boston, that is a reminder of all the good that still exists in our military.
My thoughts are also focused on people like Carlos Arredondo, who lost both his sons due to war or depression. This is not a man trained for combat, he was a grieving father, that has dedicated his life to bringing focus on the issues regarding PTSD, depression etc. He pushes for peace, and caring of others. In the middle of this carnage, Arredondo jumps in to help, no regard given to his safety. Arredondo rushes to help and just holds an artery shut for a man who has lost his leg, saving his life. Arredondo is an immigrant, and that is significant to point out because this is a country of immigrants. People whose families have come from different places and cultures. This is the crossroads of humanity, and the actions of the all of the bystanders in Boston prove that humanity will jump in and help when faced with adversity. People will do this in spite of the malevolent actions of another. To see love and caring win out over anger and hate is a wonderful thing.
I am immensely proud of the people in my life, despite disagreements on trivial, or even major, issues. In the face of the horrible things that have happened, they have stood together on wanting justice to be done. Perhaps this sense of justice and caring isn’t just and American ideal. Americans are not unique in their pursuit of justice, or in their capacity to care. They are human traits, that may be easier to express in a nation such as the US, but they are traits that will always come to the surface. The actions of the “Helpers” remind me of a quote:
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” – Bruce Lee
The human spirit is “like water”, always changing to adjust new challenges, but remaining the same.
As some of you know I’m taking courses for my masters in History. One of my courses is the History of Environmental Thought. This is a quick synopsis of a trip I had to write about for that course.
One of my greatest joys is a quick trip to Big Thicket for an overnight camping excursion. I don’t get to do this very often, but I find that it is always worth the effort. Big Thicket is large enough to allow an escape from the noise and influence of civilization, however it is close enough for me to make a quick trip to it on a weekend. Perhaps it’s just my perspective, but leaving Houston, and driving past Beaumont and into Big Thicket always puts me in the mindset to appreciate nature. Passing the smoke stacks and refineries on I-10 always leaves me feeling a little sad for the cost of modern life. Leaving that scene, and entering a forested area serves as a reminder that it is possible to keep nature in tact, despite the sprawl of “civilization”.
My trip to Big Thicket was in early March, I decided to head out early so that I could walk to winding Kirby trail, and setup a campsite while it was still light out. Big Thicket is about 30 miles north of Beaumont, and consists of about 105,000 acres of preserve. It is full of large pine trees, and stands at a kind of natural crossroads between the Piney Woods of Texas and the gradual swamp environment of Louisiana. I took the time, during this trip to, visit the visitor center and to browse their information regarding the history of Big Thicket.
The original area of Big Thicket was surveyed in 1936 and consisted of over a million acres of land. No formal protection was afforded the area until 1976, when it became the first National Preserve. The problem with this is that the land compromising the National Preserve is not contiguous, and the greenbelts connecting to them may belong to the timber industry or other economic interests. The proximity to Beaumont and Houston, as well as the legal drilling for oil add to the threats that Big Thicket face. Economic and urban development threatens the peace and sanctity, as well as the stability of the park.
After reading up on the park history, and making note of the possibility of running into Black Bears, I started down the Kirby trail. The park itself doesn’t have any set camping sites. You are allowed to camp in the reserve for free, but you have to be about 200 feet from the trails. I’ve camped here about 3 time previously, so I walked about 2 miles down the trail and took a hard left into the forest where I knew to find a relatively clear, and hopefully bear free, area. This will be a quick trip for me, a day to hike the trails and a night away from the noise pollution of the city. I found my usual campsite, and I setup my tent and unload the bulk of my pre-processed, “just add water” supplies.
After setting up my site, I begin my hike up the Kirby trail. The Kirby trail loops around several areas, and it is from here that I can head towards my goal, the Sandhill Loop, which gives me a good view of the diversity of the area. Thus far, the hike around my campsite, and into the park was full of large pine trees and full of the sounds of birds. What I love about the Kirby trail is how it leads to parts of the reserve that are drastically different. You can hike the five miles of the Sandhill Loop and see Cypress trees and boggy areas that contain pitcher plants, and other things that I would associate with a swamp. I particularly love the Cypress trees and the boggy areas.
It was too early in the year to see many flowers on my hike, and that was a disappointment, however the bigger disappointment was the occasional sound of what I assume was machinery in the distance. It’s not something that you would notice while in the middle of Houston, but it seemed eerily out of place while at Big Thicket.
Before it got too close to sunset, I headed back to my campsite, trusting that nobody would have disturbed my tent. Thankfully it was a quiet day, and I came back to an undisturbed campsite. I decided that water and jerky would be a good enough meal for a chilly March evening and I settled in. The only drawback to camping in Big Thicket is that the trees obscure your view of the night sky, but that was well worth it for the illusion of isolation.
I did hear something walking around in the middle of the night; I assumed that it was too early for bears to be lurking around, so I ignored the sound. In the morning I found tracks around my tent that probably belonged to a small fox. I had observed some opossums before going to bed in the distance, and I know that there were more snakes near me than I cared to consider.
Overall, Big Thicket never ceases to amaze me, and I do plan on making an extended trip soon, so that I can see the other trails that I usually don’t have time to visit. Talking to the Park Ranger, I realize that even 100000 acres of Reserve land can still be at the mercy of industrial development and contamination from the city. It is important to push for further funding so that this beautiful park can continue to be preserved and cherished.
My home-made pizza recipe. 🙂
Rachel Maddow is my platonic crush. I would gladly sit in a room and listen to her spew awesome all day. Recently she called out Senator Rand Paul for being a liar.
The Republicans are in the middle of their “minority outreach” program. The thought that it takes a concerted effort for them to reach out to minorities should be enough of a sign that they will probably fail at it. Why do they have to strategize on how to appeal to minorities? Maybe they should re-evaluate their “moral compass”. I think it’s stuck on “asshole”.
In any event, Maddow calls out Senator Paul in typical awesome fashion.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/vp/51500273
I love the arguments of “Life begins at conception” so we can’t allow abortion. It’s a really great argument, except for the fact that it is completely false. A good friend of mine reminded me of a statement that Carl Sagan had regarding abortion:
“Despite many claims to the contrary, life does not begin at conception: It is an unbroken chain that stretches back nearly to the origin of the Earth, 4.6 billion years ago. Nor does human life begin at conception: It is an unbroken chain dating back to the origin of our species, hundreds of thousands of years ago. Every human sperm and egg is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, alive. They are not human beings, of course. However, it could be argued that neither is a fertilized egg.
In some animals, an egg develops into a healthy adult without benefit of a sperm cell. But not, so far as we know, among humans. A sperm and an unfertilized egg jointly comprise the full genetic blueprint for a human being. Under certain circumstances, after fertilization, they can develop into a baby. But most fertilized eggs are spontaneously miscarried. Development into a baby is by no means guaranteed. Neither a sperm and egg separately, nor a fertilized egg, is more than a potential baby or a potential adult. So if a sperm and egg are as human as the fertilized egg produced by their union, and if it is murder to destroy a fertilized egg–despite the fact that it’s only potentially a baby–why isn’t it murder to destroy a sperm or an egg?”
The conversation came up in response to a discussion regarding someone who has used in-vitro fertilization to conceive, but is anti-abortion. For those that are unaware, the process of in-vitro fertilization includes the death of many embryos in an attempt to allow fertilization. In essence “abortion” according to the definition of many Pro-Live advocates. The response to this being pointed out was a statement “I believe life starts when an embryo is implanted in a uterine wall”.
As Carl Sagan pointed out so eloquently, Sperm and Egg cells are alive (as are most socks). They are living, so is a fertilized egg. It makes no sense to condemn a person for having an abortion based on the assumption that life begins at “fertilization” or “implantation” or even when a heartbeat can be determined. Perhaps a more logical assertion is at viability. Either way, what do you do if a fetus is found to be so horribly malformed that there is zero chance for it to be viable? Do you force a woman to have a stillborn child? Why does your Judeo-Christian definition trump common sense (It’s practically unheard of), free will, and science? Do we accuse someone who kills a spider to be a murderer (or a hero)? Perhaps that particular spider would sire a line of spiders that would go on to evolve into sentient life (or at least become a reality TV star). Perhaps this is a decision between the parents, or a decision that a woman must make on her own. To accuse someone of committing murder for aborting a non-viable fetus is the equivalent of accusing a man of committing genocide for masturbating; or accusing a woman of committing murder every time she goes through her menstrual cycle.
What should be the punishment for these acts? Have you thought this through? How do you prosecute a woman who has been raped and decides to have an illegal abortion?
http://www.upworthy.com/if-youre-holding-a-sign-with-an-aborted-fetus-on-it-you-better-be-able-to-answer?c=ufb1
Remember, every sperm is sacred.
I have a fairly diverse background, so I know many different types of people, from many different cultures, religions, and educational backgrounds. Not one group of people is perfect, or should ever claim to be “always right”. To do is is pure arrogance and ignorant. I have talked to conservatives that care deeply for other people. I know liberals that would criticize an entire religious group without regard. I’ve heard some Christians with a wonderful grasp of science, they are at the top of their fields and simply see science as another way to be closer to their God. I know atheists that treat their view of science with such a radical obsession they make the Taliban look moderate.
I am guilty of making as many judgmental remarks as anyone else, but at the end of the day I do not think that any group of people is absolutely right. I know that my views are not universally shared, and I’m always willing to have a good, vigorous conversation about them. Compromise is essential in many aspects of life, and it saddens me to see that many people are no longer capable of it.
http://www.honestgirlscouts.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HonestGirlScout
Look, we have a page dedicated to honesty…
No, it’s run by a guy that hates girl scouts.
The things you stumble upon during lunch. These guys were from several community organizations, protesting
Don’t judge me. I have a hard time remembering to update this thing with actual content. So I got a GoPro camera for Christmas. At some point you may see some original content and cool stuff. Or cats.
It’s cold. 40’s in Houston in the middle of January. I think the world ended and hell is freezing over.
Time for a mushy New Years post. I do want to say that I am thankful for all of my friends and family. I’m thankful for people who call me out on my bullshit, and who keep me honest. This has been a great year of new opportunities and new friendships. I hope the following year is full of the same.
Time to move forward!
Children and adults gunned down in Connecticut school massacre
The news of the school shooting in Connecticut is heart breaking. Regardless of your political affiliation, do something nice for another person. Let’s heal this country by caring for each other again. Let’s get the mentally unstable access to decent, free healthcare. Let’s increase the waiting period for a gun. Let’s DO SOMETHING to help keep our children, and each other, safe.
Places like this upset me. It is never okay to call out a customer, no matter how “in the right” you feel about a situation. Let’s analyze the following post:
So Elections happened this past Tuesday. I had a paper due, so I didn’t spend time updating this blog. All I can say is thank (God, FSM, Yoda, whatever) Obama won. Now don’t get me wrong, in many ways Obama is not liberal enough. I’m just glad for my family, my friends and for everyone really that we didn’t take a giant step backwards. Who would have figured that issues concerning women’s rights and fairness for everyone to love whomever they want would actually make the difference. Well okay rational people who understand that going towards a theocracy would understand.